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6 Pretty Important Things to Know About Oregon Before Moving Here

The Oregon Country Fair is an annual event drawing thousands from near and far, since 1969. Photo: Bonnie King, Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - Planning a move to Oregon? Well, you are definitely not alone. In fact, Oregon is the 9th fastest growing state, according to the US Census Bureau. The expected population increase is estimated to be around 1.4 percent. Not bad for Oregon, and the growth of the state is certainly good for businesses in major cities like Portland, Salem, Beaverton, Bend, and other cities, as well as the vast rural farm and timber areas.

However, simply moving to Oregon without a bit of Oregonian advice could be a bad idea. Why? Oregon is not your run-of-the--mill state. There are a few little idiosyncrasies and must-know things people should have at the forefront of their minds prior to a big move to this great Northwest state.

To help, we compiled six pretty important things to know about Oregon before boxing up your stuff and moving here. Let’s dive in!

1. Think about the actual act of moving to Oregon

Moving to Oregon is not like moving to most places. Chances are you’ll be moving in the rain, unless you move during July and August, the only two semi-dry months of the year. This makes planning your actual move important.

For instance, if you are moving to a temporary place until you find the perfect home or apartment, you may need to find storage for most of your excess stuff. The good news is that there are plenty of storage businesses to choose from in Portland, like Livible.com that makes the moving and storage of stuff pretty simple.

2. House price tags are a bit above average

The need for storage while searching for the perfect home in Oregon has a lot to do with the high housing prices. Finding an affordable home or apartment that you like can prove challenging due to the high price tags in the Oregon real estate market. Though not impossible, it just may take a little longer to find the right home or apartment than it would in other states.

3. Say farewell to sales tax!

That’s right, sales tax does not exist in Oregon, which is pretty awesome for home buyers and people moving to Oregon who plan on buying large home items like furniture. This is an Oregonian secret people who live here love. The only downside to this is that many neighboring state residents drive to Oregon to purchase items, especially along the Washington and Oregon border.

There are also a ton of major universities in Oregon. Oregon State, University of Oregon, Reed College, Portland University, and other academic staples employ a majority of people in certain regions of the state. Nike, Adidas, and other businesses also employ a lot of Oregonians, especially in Portland.

5. Oregonians are not all high on marijuana

Oregon is seen as a bit of a rogue state when it comes to federal laws. The legalization of marijuana (cannabis) for recreational use is among the rogue nature of Oregonians. They've had the legal right to use it medically since 1999. Still, not all Oregonians are walking around mentally numb from excessive marijuana use. Really.

In fact, it is very much like the craft beer culture Oregon created years before. It is what the law that passed entails — purely recreational. If you are moving to Oregon and are not big on cannabis, don’t worry too much about it. The fact is, if you don’t use, you probably won’t even notice a difference between a not legal marijuana state compared to Oregon.

6. Do your due diligence when it comes to children's education

Oregon does boast some of the best universities and private colleges in the US. But when it comes to childhood education, K-12, Oregon can be a bit of an education toss up.

This is mainly due to the allocation of resources throughout the state. Some rural school districts are lacking the resources to really provide the quality education needed in today’s digital age.

Urban school districts are not anything to praise either in some cases, so be sure to research the potential school district you may be moving to.

In conclusion...

The above six things to know about Oregon prior to becoming an Oregonian are not the be-all, end-all. They are, however, among the most important to consider, and a great place to begin your research. From weather and storage to cannabis and education, there are a lot of little things to think about when planning a move to Oregon.

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kcarrier May 2, 2019 3:32 pm (Pacific time)

What about the east side of the state? This story is only about what to expect on the west side. There are plenty of affordable houses in other parts of this state. Not to mention it doesn't rain all the times in other parts either! There are actually 4 seasons! If people are usually wanting to move to Oregon, Good for them come on out! Some people just need a fresh start for whatever reason. As for jobs yes there are plenty of jobs everywhere in Oregon!